The present invention relates generally to transportation devices and, more particularly, to a carcass transportation device which facilitates easy loading, transporting and unloading of a carcass, most preferably a hog carcass.
It has become common for farmers to raise livestock, particularly hogs, in facilities (i.e., barns) which comprise pluralities of individual pens arranged therein. Sectionalized fencing is arranged in the barns such that rows of pens are defined with narrow aisles separating adjacent rows of pens. Typically, each pen is provided with a gate which, when opened, can be used to block at least a portion of an adjacent aisle. It is desirable to keep the aisles narrow to maximize the space available for pens. Narrow aisles also provide a means to keep hogs walking in a desired direction as it is difficult for a hog to turn around in these narrow aisles.
It is equally desirable to construct the facility, such as a barn, to minimize head space. The lower ceilings and compact pen assemblies minimize related facility construction costs and result in structures which require minimal heat, aside from the heat generated from hogs, even in cold climates. Typically, these facilities are constructed with ceiling heights which accommodate people walking upright but not tractors, front end loaders, fork trucks and the like.
With a high density hog operation, or mega-farm, smaller hogs are brought into the facility (i.e., a barn) and placed in a pen at a given end of a row of pens. The hogs are then transferred to adjoining pens as they increase in size. This separates the smaller hogs from larger ones. (It has been found that the death rate among the smaller hogs is reduced when larger ones are kept separate therefrom.) Large hog operations may have thousands of hogs within a given facility but even with larger hogs separated from the smaller ones, the overall expected death rate is approximately four-percent during the course of a sixteen-to-eighteen week feeding (raising) cycle.
It is important to remove these hog carcasses from the pens during the raising cycle to prevent the spread of disease. The removal of hog carcasses is not always easy, however, as it is typical for a full-grown hog to exceed three-hundred pounds. Unfortunately, the size of the hog coupled with the minimal head space and narrow aisles in the barn can create quite a challenge for loading and transporting hog carcasses to desired destinations.
Today""s carcass transportation devices are difficult, if not impossible, for one person to operate under modern hog raising conditions. One means for removing such carcasses uses two-wheeled carts having crank winches affixed thereto to assist in loading and retaining the carcass thereon. Specifically, with respect to the two-wheeled vehicles, operation by one person is especially difficult when loading and transporting a heavy hog carcass through the narrow aisles because the process involves balancing and turning the cart burdened with a heavy carcass while operating the hand crank. Additionally, removal of multiple hog carcasses, one after another, by a single person can be quite labor intensive when using the two-wheeled cart models.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a carcass transportation device which facilitates easy loading, transporting and unloading of a hog carcass by a single person, particularly through the narrow aisles of a hog operation facility (i.e., a barn).
The carcass transportation device in accordance with the present invention allows a single person to easily load a carcass, preferably a hog carcass, onto the device, maneuver it within the narrow aisles of a hog operation facility (i.e. a barn), and unload the hog carcass at a desired destination.
The preferred carcass transportation device includes a platform and a plurality of wheels, preferably a pair of spaced-apart front and a pair of spaced apart rear wheels, rotatably attached thereto for movement thereof. The platform preferably sits low to the ground and is provided with opposing longitudinal sides and front and rear ends. A downwardly angled portion is provided at the rear end of the platform to facilitate easy loading of the hog carcass.
The width of the platform should be wide enough to accommodate a hog carcass but the transportation device itself must be narrow enough to maneuver within the narrow aisles of a hog raising facility. Accordingly, the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a transportation device wherein the wheels are positioned substantially underneath the platform so as to minimize the width of the transportation device. A second embodiment encompasses wheels that are situated adjacent the longitudinal sides of the platform providing a wider transportation device useful in wider aisles.
The platform may further include a pair of spaced-apart front and a pair of spaced apart rear fenders. Each fender of the pair of front fenders substantially covers a wheel of the pair of front wheels while each fender of the pair of rear fenders substantially covers a wheel of the pair of rear wheels. The fenders preferably extend above the platform to keep the carcass centered thereon during transport as well as facilitate easy loading and keep the carcass from rubbing against the wheels. In addition to the fenders, the platform may be provided with carcass retainers located at opposing longitudinal sides of the platform to help keep the carcass positioned thereon during transport.
A handle is pivotally attached to the platform so that the handle is movable along a vertical plane for loading the carcass thereon. The handle further cooperates with the front wheels for steering the transportation device.
Finally, an attachment element, preferably a choker chain, rope, strap, or the like, cooperates with the handle for securing the attachment element thereto and further cooperates with a carcass so that the carcass can be loaded onto the platform and transported.
In operation, the carcass transportation device is positioned in proximity to the carcass so that the carcass can be secured to the handle via the attachment element. The carcass then is leveraged onto the platform by the handle so that it can be transported to a desired destination for unloading. After unloading, the transportation device is ready to be used again.
The invention will be further described in conjunction with the appended drawings and following detailed description.